Behavior & Education Supports

The Behavior and Education Supports (BES) program is for students who have been identified with an emotional disability or who have challenging behaviors that interfere with learning. Each classroom provides a safe and structured learning environment with an emphasis on Common Core-aligned instruction.

Students in the BES program follow the same progress monitoring for reading and math as students in general education. Each classroom has three trained staff members: a certified special education teacher, an instructional paraprofessional, and a behavior technician.

Placement decisions are made exclusively by DCPS Central Office. Questions regarding placement should be directed to dcps.bes@dc.gov.

Marie Reed has two BES classrooms serving students grades 1-3 and 3-5. Students in our BES classrooms are included in the general education environment to the greatest extent possible, including lunch and recess, specials, assemblies, and field trips. Our goal is to give our students the academic, social, and behavioral skills necessary to re-enter the general education classroom.